MILLHOLLEN, LORENE INTERVIEW ^8957

Transcription

1 MILLHOLLEN, LORENE INTERVIEW ^

2 MILLHOLLEN, LOHENE. INTERVIEW F 'IT, A-' f'-r.ame Amalia F. Harris.s report r^dfe?:. ;det->; Sept Nar.e Lorene Millhollen st 'ffi;e ;ddro^s Oklahora City, Oklahoma 3. Resident address \ r l'>c- r ;t:^:.) 208 E 16th< 5. Place - : Dirt:. Lincoln County, Kentucky 5. ranie of Father James T. Land?1I.JP :f bin.. Kentucky "ti.er inf-^jv-i : -;b " 'V r?r Came to Osage Reservation ''an** of ther Emily Myers Land ri^ce -- birth Kentucky -n "-V ;t r fr»r Came with father to Oklahoma p tiv^ ry t.e field 7?:rkor d?3lin<; with th lif ar.d - < ry of t]:'- p^r?jr. int. ^rvif.;o''.. R^f-r f :.-\:.\jnl frr sug^st d subjects a:.o qu-?ti;r.s- ^cr.tir.ap ~n blank sheets if necessary -ind attach finr.ly to t-.is fcm. Number ~f sheets attached 8

3 306 MILIEOLLQJ, L3RENE. INTERVIEW., Lorene Millhollen, 1714 N. lay Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. An *B9 t er. My parents came from Lincoln Gounty, Kentucky to Dexter, Kansas. <Ve lived there two years, and then we emigrated to the Osage Reservation in the Oklahoma Territory in Father rented three thousand acres of land from. Frank Leasart. One thousand acres were in cultivation and the balance in pasture* Frank Lftasart was one-half Oaage Indian and onehalf French. TShe Osage Indians were considered wild at that tiae; in their primitive state they didn't know right from wrong and did many destructive things through ignorance. tve lived on this land for fourteen years and learned many of the habits of the Osages as there were not more than five families of white people on the reservation. Therefore, we were with the Indians a great deal and learned their habits, also their language. The Monick- Kbniah and Hologassiah fanilies of full blood Osages often visited in our home. We lived in a big two story log house which had a shed kitchen and dining room built on the back, and a porch which extended across the front.

4 307 MIUBOLLEN, IDHENE. INTERVIEW. 895? 2 "Ehe Osages would coma and sit on the* porch. At first we were afraid and didn't say anything or go near than but when we started cooking our dinner it wasn't long until one of the squaws ventured around to the kitchen door, tfe didn't know??hat to do. She stood for two or three minutes then opened the door and walked in. She went over to the kitchen stove. We had a big pot of beans, also turnips and greens with bacon, and sweet potatoes baking, and mother was putting a pan of corn bread into the oven. Une Indian raised the lid on the beans first, then the turnips. Each time she grunte'd as if satisfied. When the bread was done she went out and said something in their language. Very soon they all came to the back door and walked in. fle had everything on the table. Mother motioned for them to sit down. They did and they didn't wait for anything to be passed y they reached across the table and got it 1, as they ate they would grunt, fle learned later that they liked the food. Tlhey never stayed long after they ate. Tlhese two families visited us regularly once or

5 308 LOHENE. INTERVIEW twice a week for fourteen years. We soon learned their language. We played with the children. The first Spring after we cams, my brother, Frank, and tw other boys went down to "Little Grey Horse Creek* to fish. They hadn't been there long until they heard war whoops. towards them. Looking up they saw three Indian men coming Brother Frank said words froze in his mouth. He couidn f t yell. The Indians came to them, took their knives out of their belts and cut these boys* hair off, taking the hair with them. At that time boys' hair wasn't very short. Father imned lately reported this to the agency and the agent had a number of Indians up on trial- and lectured to them. Ke coum speak their language and you could readily tell the guilty ones -for while he was talking three of them dropped» > * > their heads and looked at the floor. He punished them by cutting down their ration. TJhis was at "Grey Horse Agency.** They drew rations and money her every quarter; if they ran out of fool they could get more at the commissary. TJhis allowance would be taken out of their money the next quarter. ' '"

6 309 MILIHOLLEN, I0BENE. JNTBEVIEW We learned to like these Indiana and never had any further trouble. I have made hundreds of shirts with gussets set in under the arm, without collars, but bound with ribbon instead. These shirts would be a little longer than shirts of today and slit to the waist on the hips; these were worn by man and women alike. "Ehe men also wore leggings made of different kinds of hides, and all wore moccasins. Tfrte women wore wrap-around skirts with hems in the bottoms and sides.' I also made the skirts for the. women. 'She Osages or Wa-saw-see are said to be the ' tallest race of Indians. They were fine looking. Their \ babies were carried on a board and slung upon the mothers' backs* Ihe Osages have a Head Chief and the others listen to him. The Agency demanded that all of the children go to school. Some went to the Osage &>arding School at Pawhuska; others went to Haskell Institute.at Lawrence, Kansas* Sometimes their parents would move their teepees close to the school and have their children at home*

7 310 M1UWLLM, UDHEKE. INTERVIEW Their teepees were made of poles and were round in shape, covered with grass on the outside and lined with buffalo hides on the inside. Their beds were made of straw and hides and they used Indian blankets and hides for cover. "Ehey dug a shallow pit in the center for fire to do the cooking. A long chain was suspended from the center of the roof to which a big iron pot hung. 'Ehey cooked their meat here and corn dishes of all kiuds» They often sent us different kinds of Indian dishea. IJhey made a bread from ripe toersimmons in this manner. They took two sticks about two feet long and with sinews tied short sticks close together crosswise, similar in looks to a washboard, then they would mash the persimmon pulp through these sticks, throwing the seeds away. This was molded into loaves, dried and put away, tfhen their women were confined they fed them this bread first for a few days* The Osages did very little farming but they always had a small corfi. patch of squaw corn, blue and white mixed. nfhen any of the family died they would build a

8 Si 311 MILLEOLLEN, LOfiENE.. INTERVIEW ' 6 rock mound on high ground, by a tree if pos8ible. The back side would be built about four feet then slope off in front and they v;oul4 line the inside of the grave with hides. They never buried until sundown^then they would put their dead on a cowhide in a spring wagon and drive just as fast as they could to the grave. " They placed the body in a sitting position and covered it up with hides then daubed the rocks with mud concealing them entirely, except a small opening. would place food and water. At this opening they &y #e watched them bury their dead, also place food at the grave. They would put food there every day for a month (tho opossums or dogs ate it). Then they would move their teepee away from there. I was married while living on this farm and.moniok Koniah brought me a pair of beautifully beaued V- \» moccasins (I still have them) and a beaded necklace. He always called me his paleface papoose and-when ray first child was born he and his wife brought over some of this persimmon bread end a papoose board for my baby. This board was elaborate in beading and fringe. I hung this

9 312 MILUIOLLEN, L0REN2. U.TSHVI&Y on the wall. We didn't have much in the way of entertainment. ive had a community church. Traveling preachers would meet at the house of one of the five white settlers every Sunday. I played the organ for the songs, by ear. Once in a while, in later years, the Indians would COHB over, but the Osages were nearly all Catholics, if they had any civilized religion. Their religion was of a ceremonial dance nature*at different times of the year, they had the Sun Dance, Rain Dance, and the Green Corn Dance I all were of a religious nature. Father's home was the central division between Ppnca and Grey Eorse. tfe kept the stage horses here, and every day alout two o'clock the stage coach would stop and change horses. We had lived so long here, just renting but were independent farmers with plenty of cattle, horses, mules, hogs and chickens. Father missed a chance for a homestead by not making the run of f 89. At the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in 1893, he decided to try for a homestead but was unsuccessful. He later bought out a claim near Kingfisher.

10 313 MILLHOLLEN, IDHENE. INTERVIEW He lived there ten years. I have a "pipe of Peace" given me by Hologa^siah also a small pearl handled dagger, a gift from Rolobi. Tlhey were head men of the Osages.